Arsenal are readying an offer to sign Benfica defender Alejandro Grimaldo this summer, according to a report from Portuguese outlet A Bola

The lowdown: Career so far

Signed by Barcelona from his hometown club Valencia as a youngster, the 26-year-old came through the academy ranks at the Catalan giants before making the switch to Benfica in 2016 for €1.5m (£1.2m).

The former Spain youth international has since amassed 246 appearances for the Primeira Liga outfit, winning the Portuguese top-flight title on three occasions during his time in Lisbon.

Now into the final 12 months of his contract at Benfica (Transfermarkt), the Gunners could be set to bring Grimaldo to the Premier League...

The latest: Arsenal preparing Grimaldo offer

As per A Bola, Arsenal are believed to be 'preparing for a new attack' to sign the Spanish left-back.

It's claimed that the north London club could look to 'secure the signing of the Spaniard' over the coming days as Mikel Arteta attempts to bolster the defensive ranks at the Emirates Stadium.

The report also states that a 'proposal' of around €7m (£5.9million) is expected for the man described as being 'good enough to play for any side' by Benfica sporting director Tiago Pinto last year.

The verdict: One out, one in

All of this comes as Nuno Tavares stares down the barrel of an early exit from the Gunners, having endured a difficult debut season in north London. Reportedly a target for Ligue 1 club Marseille, the 22-year-old full-back - himself signed from Benfica - could be on his way out of the Emirates after just 28 outings for Arsenal.

If that departure does indeed materialise, given the injury issues suffered by Kieran Tierney, signing Grimaldo would be a smart move from Edu and Arteta in order to ensure that there is sufficient positional backup in place to compete for a top-four finish next season.

During 2021/22, the Spanish defender scored six times and provided nine assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, earning a stellar 7.33 Sofascore rating. He won 4.1 duels and made one clearance and one interception per league game to highlight a top-class defensive acumen to complement his attacking exploits.

Still holding a perceived market value of £18m despite his dwindling contract, signing Grimaldo for anything close to the suggested fee would be a superb piece of transfer business by Arsenal.